Refuse containers



Jan. 11, 1967 v SAF FORD 3,298,533

' v REFUSE CONTAINERS Filed April 27, 1966 A K l9 ml M 5 FIGS i I /z- T; ,l -/6 2 4? l3 7 FlG 2 FIGA i l I 3/ K 39 WI ||1 II I l n30 INVENTOR EARL SAFFORD fwha j i ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,298,533 REFUSE CONTAINERS Earl Saiford, 1958 Lawrence, Detroit, Mich. 48206 Filed Apr. 27, 1966, Ser. No. 545,764 Claims. (Cl. 21171) The present invention relates to refuse receptacles which include trashcans and garbage cans, and, more particularly, an improved means for handling same.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome many of the well-known difficulties in providing cleanliness with respect to refuse receptacles and to overcome problems with cats, dogs, rats, flies, and other insects and problems relating to odor.

It is, therefore, the primary object of the present invention to provide a refuse receptacle in the nature of a closed receptacle within which a plurality of refuse containers may be movably stored in a convenient, but sanitary manner.

It is another object to provide in a refuse receptacle construction a means by which the individual refuse can is elevated above the ground surface and which is arranged for easy loading and unloading.

These and other objects will be seen from the following specification and claims in conjunction with the appended drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section of the present refuse receptacle.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary end view taken in the direction of arrows 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a section taken in the direction of arrows 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a plan view taken in the direction of arrows 4-4 of FIG. 1.

It will be understood that the above drawing illustrates merely a preferred embodiment of the invention, and that other embodiments are contemplated within the scope of the claims hereafter set forth.

Referring to the drawing and particularly FIGS. 1 through 4, the present refuse receptacle 11 includes an elongated hollow housing 12 with open bottom 13, FIG. 1, wherein its longitudinal axis is inclined upwardly and rearwardly from the horizontal from the small acute angle shown in view of the spaced supports 19 and 20 mounted upon ground surface G.

The present housing includes top wall 14 having a series of apertures 15, the opposed upright side walls 16 and the two end walls 17 apertured at 18 to receive the respective hinge doors 23.

A first support block 19 is arranged adjacent and at the bottom of an aperture 21 formed through an adjacent fence 22 such as might be expected across the rear lot line of property wherein, as shown, and employing the rearwardly spaced enlarged support block 20, the said housing 11-12 is so mounted at an incline that one end, namely its lower end, projects into the apertured portion 21 of fence 22 for convenient access from the exterior of a yard enclosed by the said fence.

Both of the doors 23 within the corresponding end wall apertures 18 are suitably hinged thereto as at 24 and have suitable handles 25 and latches 26 for maintaining the same within the closed position.

Both of the respective hinges 24 are spring biased or have built-in spring elements to normally urge the doors to the closed position shown and to maintain the same in closed position. Thus, they must be opened against the spring bias built into the said hinges 24.

The series of parallel spaced transverse rollers 27 at their opposite ends are journalled within the said sidewalls, FIG. 3, as at 28 within said housing 12 and adjacent its open end portion 13, as best shown in FIG. 1.

A series of aligned trashcans 29 are loosely positioned in a row within said housing movably mounted upon rollers 27.

Within the respective apertures 15 of top wall 14 are hingedly mounted as at 31 a series of trapdoors 30 with handles 32 which register with respect to stops 33, FIG. 1, when closed. Each of the hinges 31 incorporates a spring means for normally biasing the trapdoors 30 to the closed position shown in registry with top wall 14. The respective trapdoors 30 are generally in vertical registry with the corresponding trashcans 29 which have removable covers 34 sealed thereover.

It is contemplated that the top wall 14 may have a slight downward taper thereover to provide for adequate fluid drainage and to avoid the accumulation of water.

Thus, there is provided a trashcan enclosure wherein due to the inclination of the housing and the inclination of the row of transverse can supporting rollers 27, the cans will have a tendency to move downwardly along this ramp-like support for access out through the lower and outer door 23, FIG. 2. This provides a simplified means for removing the cans for emptying.

Each of the cans 29 has intermediate its upper and lower ends an annular flange or ring 36 made of plastic or rubber which serves as a bumper for maintaining not only an alignment and spacing between the trashcans 29, FIG. 1, but also for spacing the same inwardly of the housing walls and sidewalls 16.

The housing 12 can be further loaded by application to its inner end wall door 23, FIG. 1, since the cans within said housing conveniently stored therein are movable downwardly to the respective lowermost positioning of the first can as shown in FIG. 1.

Having described my invention, reference should now .be had to the following claims.

I claim:

1. In combination a refuse receptacle comprising a hollow, elongated housing with an open bottom and with its longitudinal axis inclined upwardly from the horizontal at an acute angle;

said housing including side walls and apertured top and end walls;

a hinged door normally closing each end wall;

a series of parallel spaced transverse rollers at their opposite ends journalled in said side walls at the bottom of and within said housing and correspondingly inclined;

a series of aligned trashcans loosely positioned in a row within the housing movably mounted on said rollers;

and a series of spaced separate trap doors hingedly mounted upon and normally in registry with said top wall directly above said trashcans respectively.

2. The combination of claim 1, each hinge mounting being spring biased for automatic closing of said doors and for maintaining said doors in closed position.

2. The combination of claim 1, and registering annular bumper rings, one on each trashcan intermediate its ends for spacing the cans apart and for maintaining the cans spaced from said sidewalls.

4. The combination of claim 1, each trashcan having an individual cover sealed thereover.

5. The combination of claim 1, and a fence having an aperture therethrough into which snugly extends the lower end of the said housing.

No references cited.

CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION A REFUSE RECEPTACLE COMPRISING A HOLLOW, ELONGATED HOUSING WITH AN OPEN BOTTOM AND WITH ITS LONGITUDINAL AXIS INCLUDED UPWARDLY FROM THE HORIZONTAL AT AN ACUTE ANGLE; SAID HOUSING INCLUDING SIDE WALLS AND APERTURED TOP AND END WALLS; A HINGED DOOR NORMALLY CLOSING EACH END WALL; A SERIES OF PARALLEL SPACED TRANSVERSE ROLLERS AT THEIR OPPOSITE ENDS JOURNALLED IN SAID SIDE WALLS AT THE BOTTOM OF AND WITHIN SAID HOUSING AND CORRESPONDINGLY INCLINED; A SERIES OF ALIGNED TRASHCANS LOOSELY POSITIONED IN A ROW WITHIN THE HOUSING MOVABLY MOUNTED ON SAID ROLLERS; AND A SERIES OF SPACED SEPARATE TRAP DOORS HINGEDLY MOUNTED UPON AND NORMALLY IN REGISTRY WITH SAID TOP WALL DIRECTLY ABOVE SAID TRASHCANS RESPECTIVELY. 